Library Board of Trustees - Minutes - 03/11/2025

Minutes of Meeting of 11 March 2025  
 
1. President M. Furey-Wagner called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.  
Trustees present: M. Furey-Wagner, E. Boyce, N. Dragoli, B. Kyne, J. Lehet, J. Merrill, G. Ritter 
(Zoom), A. Robarge, A. Rosenberg, A. Simpson.  Also present, C. Johnson, Library Director.  
Not present: C. Giordano, L. Couture  
   
2. Public Comment -  An interested resident attended our meeting, complimenting us on our 
activities and wanting to learn more.  
 
3. Consent Agenda   
  
Treasurer’s and Financial Report - G. Ritter  
• Post 2/28/25, the market has changed and slipped from the gains of the past year. Prevailing 
advice is to “ride out the fluctuations” in an unsettled market for the moment. Stocks 
are currently at an 80/20 split in equities and bonds. 
• 
$135,000 was moved to-date for operating expenses for the annual budget. No changes 
are presently anticipated. Bond holdings are secure. 
 
• A motion was made by B. Kyne and seconded by A. Simpson, to accept the Minutes of 
1/14/25, the Treasurer’s Report, and the Financial Report. All in favor.  
 
4. President’s Report - M. Furey-Wagner  
• The past two months have been busy with meetings regarding the budget and upcoming 
HVAC project. 
• Board of Selectmen hearing on the library budget was 6 February. Director Christine Johnson 
and President Mim Wagner presented. It was noted that the Library Board contributed 4.9% of 
the endowment to operating expenses of the library for this budget. 
• 
An additional meeting the day before the hearing, with the Director, President and First 
Selectman reviewed custodial expenses in efforts to lower costs. Evening & weekend 
custodial service will now be serviced through Public Works with the company contract 
they have that also services all the other town departments. 
• Lingering questions and concerns about how the endowment is used from town Selectmen 
resulted in a meeting with the Director, President and Board member John Lehet. John 
presented a report and graphs highlighting the past twenty years of the Waterford Public 
library Endowment’s contributions to the library. The meeting was informative and positively 
received. The endowment has paid over two million dollars to the library over the past twenty 
years. 
 
• Zoom meeting took place with Gary Schneider & project engineer, Ken Hipsky, on HVAC 
status. One project bid was received on February 11, 2025. After Gary’s conference with 
Purchasing Agent and the approval of the State Library grant administrator and additional 
discussions with the single bidder, Action Air, a revised bid of $1,597,987 was offered. This 

reduction does not reflect any changes to project scope. An additional appropriation is needed 
of $505,078 to continue the project. This resulted in the special meeting of the town Board of 
Selectman. 
 
• 3/11 special meeting with BOS approved the HVAC project approved the $505,078 in 
additional funds needed and includes temporary cooling for this summer as the new units will 
likely not be received before sometime in August. 
Upcoming meetings for final approval of HVAC: 
 
• Board of Finance will vote on project on March 12, 2025 at 7pm. 
• April 7, 2025 7pm, RTM meeting to approve project 
 
 
5. Committee Reports  
 
A. Finance - G. Ritter 
Financial update in earlier notes.  
G. Ritter wanted clarification online item for percentage spent on salaries to date. The director 
referred us to the TOW budget report showing an annual budget of $993,737 for salaries & 
FICA, and reported that the library is currently 1% over budget on salaries due to coverage 
needed for staff absences due to illness. 
 
B. Development and Fundraising - M. Furey-Wagner  
• The income is up substantially due to an increase in Bequests. Several members of the 
community have died and WPL was cited in their obituaries. Bequests are currently at 
$14,442.53. YTD Total Fundraising is currently $25,670.79. 
CFECT Funds are currently at $14, 350.00. This money goes into library expenses along with 
grants.  
 
C. Building and Grounds J. - Merrill  
• Refer to earlier notes on HVAC progress and upcoming meetings to secure funds and approval 
of all three town Boards 
 
D. Policy and Personnel - A. Simpson  
• Past Board member Greg Benoit, who also updated the bylaws in 2002 and whose 
mother wrote the policy in the 1960s met with the committee to give history of the 
process. The question remains whether we need to send new changes in bylaws to the 
CT Secretary of State. The committee will set future meeting dates to determine what 
changes/ updates are needed. Meetings will be conducted in person and via zoom for 
maximum participation.  
 
6. Director’s Report - C. Johnson  

• C. Johnson participated in numerous meetings on the HVAC system with Gary Schneider 
and Ken Hipsky in January, February and March. Approval seems near and the project 
will begin. 
• Building concerns continue with new leaks that exist even after flashing repairs made by 
Tremco roofers in January. 
• Community Foundation is providing the library with a one-year subscription to 
Bonterra’s Network for Good donor management software and access to 10 hours of 
fundraising coaching. Our data is now loaded into the new system. Three meetings took 
place with fundraising coach, Liz Albert. 
• The library is partnering with The Light House in Niantic to serve as a host site for adult 
volunteers with disabilities to gain workplace skills. These volunteers have shown their 
value with great enthusiasm in the library. 
• The Director met with Jason Hurlock from Ockers Technology on January 27 to show our 
existing technology capability and equipment so that we can receive quotes for 
Replacement. She will also meet with the town IT director.  
• The director submitted several grants for the library: 
o $15,000 for the Manton Foundation’s Sustainable & Resilient New England 
Libraires to fund technology for the Senior Planet Training programs. 
o Grant request to AARP’s Community Challenge Grant for $20,300 for the same 
project 
• CT Humanities is providing funding support for bilingual story times and they pay 
directly to the presenters. 
• Annual Staff Development took place on February 28. Topics included: serving the 
unhoused in the library, serving patrons with Alzheimer’s disease and related 
dementias. David Horst, an outreach worker from New London’s Homeless Hospitality 
Center, presented and answered staff questions. Youth Services staff member, Rashi 
Sharma, in an optional journaling exercise, led final session. 
• Celebrated “Take Your Child to the Library Day” on February 1 with programs 
throughout the day. 
 
7. Old Business  
• Patron Responsibilities policy document is under review. Director stated that the staff would 
like to participate and contribute to a conversation on patron responsibilities. 
 
8. New Business 
• 
Pollinator Garden - Work on the front entrance to the library has begun with efforts of 
board members, Mim Wagner and Eileen Boyce and friend, Marcia Benvenuti.   
• 
Jewelry Fundraiser Sale The committee met on March 6, 2025 to organize donated 
jewelry for sale on April 26, 11am-2pm An appraiser joined the meeting to give 
appraisals of collection. 
• 
John Lehet requested that we consider ways on how to assess library usage, specifically 
of Waterford residents. This will be discussed at the next board meeting. 
 

9. Adjournment  
• A motion was made by J. Merrill and seconded by B. Kyne to adjourn. All in favor. The 
meeting adjourned at 7:16p.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted 13 March 2025  
Eileen Boyce, Co-Secretary